Stormwater Ecological Enhancement Project (SEEP) Overview Benefits of SEEP The Stormwater Ecological Enhancement Project (SEEP) began in 1995 The SEEP project already has provided an unparalleled learning as a take-home final exam in the course Ecosystems of Florida. The exam experience for Wetlands Club members through project design and objective was to develop a management plan to enhance a stormwater organization, regulatory agency interaction and team work. Other retention basin located within the University of Florida Natural Area benefits of the project include: Teaching Lab (NATL) for species diversity. Since that time, the Wetlands Club at UF has taken this project forward and developed a full-scale • Species Diversity. The variety of plantings and topographic diversity created wetland that achieves not only the original objectives, but also on the sight provide new genetic material as well as suitable improves wildlife habitat, water quality, and aesthetics. establishment sites for long-term increases in vegetative species diversity within the basin. Since 1995 the number of species found within SEEP has increased from 32 to over 120. What is a Stormwater Retention Basin? • Wildlife Habitat. Vegetative diversity as well as diversity of aquatic habitat provide a multitude of new biotic niches not previously Water that runs off the land during and after a rainstorm is called available in the basin. The value of this habitat will become stormwater runoff. This runoff and any pollutants it carries flows into increasingly important as other areas on campus and in the Gainesville streams, rivers, lakes, oceans and depressions throughout the landscape. In community are encroached upon. Numerous wading birds, reptiles, an urbanized landscape, natural physical, chemical and biological processes amphibians, and mammals use the basin along with a multitude of are disrupted and leaves, litter, animal waste, oil, grease, heavy metals, diverse and fascinating range of insect species fertilizers and pesticides are often added and transported downstream. A stormewater retention basin provides temporary storage for the runoff • Aesthetics. Many retention basins are notoriously unattractive, often generated by development in the watershed releasing it slowly and reducing fenced in, littered with trash, and square. Although the original the potential for flooding. The basin also provides some treatment of retention basin at NATL was pleasant compared to some, its appeal has pollution carried by the stormwater runoff. been significantly improved by increasing its resemblance to a diverse wetland. The present diversity of vegetation includes many flowering species and provides many different textures and colors throughout the year making this a nice spot to visit regularly to see what things are Wetland Values changing and what is in bloom. While wetlands have historically been considered of little importance, our increasing understanding of these systems is changing this misconception. • Water Quality. Construction of the forebay, planting of species Wetlands are now recognized for providing many vital benefits. Some of known to assimilate contaminants and diversion of stormwater to these benefits include maximize treatment all improve the water treatment potential of the basin. Several studies conducted on the basin indicate that most • Unique plant and wildlife habitat contaminants entering the basin are being retained in the forebay area • Groundwater recharge and near the points where stormwater enters the basin. This improves • Recreational opportunities the water quality in the rest of the basin and the quality of water that leaves the basin and infiltrates into the ground. • Aesthetics Ecologically Enhanced Design • Improved water quality The primary goal of the project was to increase the diversity of flooding depths • Research. Since the concept of integrating wetlands into stormwater Although we have lost more then 50 percent of the historic wetlands in the and frequency of flooding that occurs within the basin since this is the primary basins is still a relatively new concept, little is known about lower 48 states, protection of wetlands has increased considerably over the factor regulating presence or absence of vegetation in a wetland. To do this, two optimization and performance of these systems. Creation of SEEP past 20 years due to recognition of these values. depressions were dug at the southeastern end of the pond providing a deep, open- provides a unique opportunity to test the principals of this concept, water habitat. At the north end, a low berm was constructed that temporarily pushing the University of Florida to the forefront of this technology. impounds 80% of the entering stormwater. This forebay provides the first phase of The location of this site on campus as well as the location of the site treatment and has been planted with species known to take up heavy metals and within NATL allows for easy access and control over activities within remove nutrients. Water from the forebay will be slowly released to the rest of the the site. Faculty, staff and state agencies interested in this topic are able to use this as a long-term study site. Wetlands and Stormwater Basins basin, first flowing through an area planted to resemble a bottom land hardwood swamp, and then move into a shallow marsh before entering the deep-water ponds. Wetlands can be found alongside rivers and lake shores, and as low areas in At the southeastern end of the pond, another small berm was built to divert • Education. Educational opportunities for both students and the the landscape that often become flooded during storms. These wetlands are stormwater away from the deepwater pond, increasing treatment time. At the end of public are enormous for this site. The University of Florida has one of the natural stormwater basins of the landscape. As humans create this berm a knoll was constructed and planted with trees to provide nesting or only three wetland centers in the country with some of the founding stormwater basins to reduce the effects of development, it seems only roosting habitat for birds. The basin was planted with species that resemble those faculty in principals of Ecological Engineering. Many courses logical to integrate wetlands into these basins. This provides benefits found in wetlands communities of North Central Florida throughout the campus use the area for various components of their beyond that of water storage as the basin becomes a multipurpose area curriculum. Public education opportunities abound with the proximity serving our needs to reduce flooding while adding wetland functions that of the Florida Museum of Natural History within a stones throw of the have been lost over the past 200 years. The water treatment component of basin. the retention basin would also be substantially enhanced by the diversity of vegetation and complexity of the integrated wetland community. The Acknowledgements integration of these “free” services provided by a natural system within the needs of our growing world has been termed Ecological Engineering. This Funding of SEEP was a joint effort of the: new approach to urban and regional planning is not only a more • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences environmentally sensitive approach, but one that uses processes that have • College of Engineering been working naturally for millions of years. • College of Liberal Arts and Science • Office of the Provost and Vice President • St. Johns River Water Management District The Pre-Enhanced Retention Pond at NATL Support and/or Approval of this project was given by: • College of Natural Resources and Environment The 3-acre retention pond at NATL is the low point of a 40 acre • Center for Wetlands watershed. The majority of the basin was constructed in 1989 with • Florida Museum of Natural History additional storage added in 1990. Structures within this watershed • Lakes, Vegetation and Landscaping Committee contributing significant runoff to the basin include the Center for • Natural Area Advisory Committee Performing Arts, Entomology and Nematology buildings, the Park & Ride • Physical Plant Division commuter lot and roadways and sidewalks between and around these • St. Johns River Water Management District buildings. The total storage of the basin to offset the increased runoff • Wetlands Biogeochemistry Laboratory generated by these impervious surfaces is 478,000 cubic feet. Prior to enhancement, the bottom of the basin was essentially flat, with uniform slopes of the north, south and east sides. To the west of the basin, the slope is low and quickly grades into a pre-existing depression of the area. For More Information Because the bottom of the basin was uniform in elevation the established Contact: Mark Clark vegetation prior to enhancement was dominated by Cattail and to a lesser Extension Specialist, Wetlands and Water Quality extent by 31 other species. P.O. Box 110510, Gainesville, FL 32611-0510 [email protected].